Various audio instruments such as radio, cassette tape player, CD player, MD player, etc. are installed in a vehicle to provide comfort and relaxation to the driver while driving the vehicle. This is only one-way communication.
Bi-directional communication between the driver and his or her friends outside of the vehicle may be achieved by using radio communication medium such as radio transceiver and portable telephone. However, the driver have to find out a companion to talk to by operation of the radio communication medium, which might be dangerous during driving. The companion outside the vehicle can not understand the vehicle and driving condition that the driver meets with.
In Japanese patent laid-open publication No. 9-102098, specific information is transmitted to the driver through corresponding expression and/or activity of an agent appearing on a display. In accordance with this prior art, the same expression and/or activity of the agent is appearing in the same situation. Thus, this provides improved visual literacy but is still a kind of conventional meters.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel device mounted in a vehicle that provides bidirectional communication with the user in the vehicle.
Another object of the present invention is to provide bi-directional communication with the user in a vehicle by means of a personified agent whose activities are determined not only by the current vehicle condition but also by the results of past record study.